Superstorm Sandy Delays Implementation of Copyright Alert System

Regardless, there's still no upside to Sandy.

TorrentFreak reports that the Copyright Alert System, which some big Internet service providers were planning to implement Wednesday, is on hold. The system has been delayed due to adverse conditions following Superstorm Sandy, which threw a hugely destructive wrench into the works for many utilities and ISPs.

Due to unexpected factors largely stemming from Hurricane Sandy which have seriously affected our final testing schedules, CCI anticipates that the participating ISPs will begin sending alerts under the Copyright Alert System in the early part of 2013, rather than by the end of the year.

Our goal has always been to implement the program in a manner that educates consumers about copyright and peer-to-peer networks, encourages the use of legal alternatives, safeguards customer privacy, and provides an easy-to-use independent review program for consumers to challenge alerts they believe they’ve received in error.

Ms. Lesser closed by saying CCI and the ISPs involved wanted to be certain “all of our ‘I’s are dotted and ‘T’s crossed” before they began sending messages to customers accusing them of downloading illegal content.

Once it is in place, the Copyright Alert System will be a series of warnings to users suspected of illegal activity that will culminate in either slowed or blocked access if the customer ignores notices from their provider.

So it looks like illegal downloaders have up to six more months to pirate copyrighted data to their hearts’ content, and they may have an epic disaster to thank for that.

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